Raspberry plant named ‘Lagorai Plus’

ABSTRACT

The new raspberry variety ‘Lagorai Plus’ was obtained by open pollination of hybrid raspberry plant Tulameen at Faver (Cembra Valley, Province of Trento, Region of Trentino, Italy). The new plant is a primocane variety producing two crops per year, wherein the fruits ripen on current season&#39;s cane in late autumn and on previous season&#39;s cane in mid-summer. The production of autumn is negligible when in summer is very high. The resulting fruits are conical and strong red in coloration.

Genus and species: Rubus idaeus L.

Variety denomination: ‘Lagorai Plus’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW VARIETY

A new and distinct red raspberry plant (botanically known as Rubusidaeus L.) hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Lagorai Plus’ isdisclosed. The new variety ‘Lagorai Plus’ was obtained by freepollination of Tulameen individual raspberry plants.

The crossing for the new plant was created in 2003 at Faver (CembraValley, Province of Trento, Region Trentino, Italy) and it has beensubject to selection on year 2005 and then asexually reproducedrepeatedly by root cutting since introduction in 2007. Thecharacteristics of the new plant have been found stable and have beentransmitted without change through succeeding (more than 6) asexualpropagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of the ‘LagoraiPlus’ plant are hereunder reported.

-   -   Primocane raspberry plant, but is more interesting growing the        variety as floricane;    -   Good fruit colour and flavour;    -   Large and firm berries;    -   Good tolerance to pests and diseases.

The new plant can be propagated by: the use of suckers produced in aspawn-bed, root cutting and use of tissue culture techniques. The rootcutting is to be preferred.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The new red raspberry plant ‘Lagorai Plus’ is illustrated by theaccompanying photographs showing typical specimens of the new variety incolour as true as reasonably possible to make the same colourillustration of this character by conventional photographic procedures.The photographs are of plants that are two years old.

FIG. 1 shows the fruit size, shape and colour at ripening.

FIG. 2 is a view of raspberry plants showing, in particular, typicaldistribution of fruit.

FIG. 3 shows both the ripe and immature fruit size, shape and leafmorphology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of the new variety ‘Lagorai Plus’. The performance ofthe new plant for retention of its distinctive characteristics has beenevaluated through successive asexual propagations by root cutting in theApplicant's setting at Vigolo Vattaro (Province of Trento, RegionTrentino, Italy) under controlled conditions of temperature (minimaltemperature 15° C. and maximal temperature 28° C.) in greenhouse. Thegrowing was the out of soil using peat as substrate.

The canes have general upright habit and very strong vigour, and requiresupport; the new variety is adapted to medium-high winter chillconditions, such as northern Italy, and has very good root system.

The plant ‘Lagorai Plus’ is a primocane variety with a very low autumnproduction, while highly productive in summer. Therefore the variety isgrown as floricane.

The plant assessment was performed for 3 years.

Colour references are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (Ed. 2007).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Rosaceae.        -   Botanical.—Rubus idaeus L.        -   Common name.—Raspberry.-   Parentage: Open pollination of Tulameen raspberry plants (female    parentage).-   Plant:    -   -   Propagation.—Root cutting.        -   Height (average).—1.75 m.        -   Spread (average).—0.80 m.-   Primocane:    -   -   Cane colour.—Greyish Yellowish Green (RHS 194A).        -   Length.—1.75 m.        -   Diameter.—13 mm.        -   Texture.—Hard to very hard.        -   Internode length.—Medium.        -   Number of current season's shoots.—Many to very many (40-50            average).        -   Very young shoot.—Strong Reddish Purple (RHS 72A) of apex            during rapid growth present.        -   Dormant cane colour.—Moderate Brown (RHS 165A).-   Floricane:    -   -   Cane colour.—Moderate Brown (RHS 165A).        -   Length.—1.75 m.        -   Diameter.—13 mm (average).        -   Cane texture.—Hard to very hard.        -   Internode length.—Medium.-   Spines:    -   -   Number.—Calculated on linear shoot extension 1 per cm            (average).        -   Shape.—Triangle.        -   Length.—3.5-4 mm.        -   Width.—0.5-1 mm.        -   Apex.—Pointed.        -   Colour.—Dark Yellowish Pink (RHS 181D).-   Leaves:    -   -   Type.—Compound; odd-pinnate and subdivided in 3-7 ovate and            serrate small leaves.        -   Position on the lateral leaflets.—Speculate.        -   Leaf and terminal leaflet length.—80-110 mm.        -   Leaf and terminal leaflet width.—90 mm.        -   Shape.—The leaf apex shape is bluntish to pointed and the            leaf base shape is orbicular ovate.        -   Colour.—Strong Yellowish Green (RHS 134B) on the upper            surface and Light Yellowish Green (134D) on the lower            surface.        -   Petiole.—Length (average) 15-20 mm; diameter (average) 3 mm;            colour brilliant Yellowish Green (RHS 134C).        -   Texture.—The superior surface texture is medium hard; the            lower surface texture is medium hard.-   Stipule:    -   -   Number per leaf.—1.        -   Shape.—Rectangular.        -   Size.—Length: 4 mm; width: 2 mm.        -   Colour.—Brilliant Yellowish Green (RHS 134C).-   Flowers:    -   -   Type.—Inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Colour.—Primary colour Greenish White (RHS 155C).        -   Length.—14-15 mm.        -   Diameter.—14-15 mm.        -   Shape.—Racemose.        -   Bloom.—The blooming begins in the medium-late season, late            May and late August.-   Petals:    -   -   Size.—Length: 5 mm; width: 2.5 mm.        -   Shape.—Drop shaped.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Bluntish to pointed.        -   Margin.—Smooth.        -   Texture.—Thin.        -   Colour.—Greenish White (RHS 155C).-   Buds:    -   -   Size.—Length: 8 mm; width: 3.5-4 mm.        -   Diameter.—3.5-4 mm.        -   Shape.—Drop shaped.        -   Colour.—Light Greyish Olive (RHS 195A).-   Sepals:    -   -   Size.—Length: 7 mm; width: 5 mm.        -   Margin.—Smooth.        -   Shape.—The apex is pointed and the base is flat.        -   Texture.—Thin.        -   Colour.—Pale Yellowish Green (RHS 193C).-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pistils per flower.—Number: 70-80 (average). Size: length:            10 mm; width 1 mm. Colour: Greenish White (RHS 157D).        -   Stamen.—Number: 70-80 (average). Size: length: 9 mm; width:            1 mm. Colour: Greenish White (RHS 157D).        -   Ovary.—Shape: Oval.        -   Filament.—Colour: Greenish White (RHS 157D).        -   Anther.—Colour: Moderate Orangish Yellow (RHS 164C).        -   Pollen.—Colour: Greenish White (RHS 157D).-   Fruit:    -   -   Predominant shape.—Conical.        -   Weight (average).—6.8 g.        -   Size.—Length (average) 3.50 cm; width (average) 2.50 cm.        -   Colour of ripe fruit.—Strong Red (RHS 39A).        -   Main bearing time.—Both on previous year's cane in summer,            mid-June, and on current year's cane in autumn, mid-October.        -   Time of beginning the fruit ripening on previous season's            cane.—Early July.        -   Time of beginning the fruit ripening on current season's            cane.—Late September/early October.        -   Firmness (newtons/mm).—0.20 Kg/inch.        -   Number of drupelets per fruit (average).—30-40.        -   Size of drupelets.—Medium.        -   Glossiness.—Large.        -   Adherence to plug.—Medium.        -   Yield (average).—1.3 kg/plant.        -   Storage capacity.—Good shelf-life high yields of good            quality fruit sutiable for fresh retailing, good            adaptability to frozen retailing.-   Pest and disease resistance: Very strong canes, resistance to pests    such as Amphorophora idaei and diseases such as antrachnose,    botrytis, and powdery mildew; the plant needs few spray treatments    for disease and pest control.    Comparison with Commercial Plants

‘Lagorai Plus’ differs from the commercial variety ‘Glen Moy’ in that‘Lagorai Plus’ is as vigorous plant with strong red firm fruit thatripens from late September to early November and allows a late harvest,while ‘Glen Moy’ is a medium vigorous plant with deep yellowish pinkfruit that ripens from mid-September to late October.

The new plant ‘Lagorai Plus’ is similar to the commercial variety ‘GlenMoy’; however, there are several differences as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Comparison between ‘Lagorai Plus’, ‘Glen Moy’ and ‘Tulameen’

TABLE 1 Comparison between ‘Lagorai Plus’, ‘Glen Moy’ and ‘Tulameen’Characteristic ‘Lagorai Plus’ ‘Glen Moy’ ‘Tulameen’ Plant VigorousMedium vigour Medium vigour Spines Present Absent Fruit Firmer; lateharvest Medium firmness; early harvest Fruit ripening Early to Mid-JuneMid-September- Early to Mid- time on the and Late-September- LateOctober June current season's Early November cane Fruit color Strong RedDeep Yellowish Medium Red (RHS 39A) Pink (RHS 44D) Cane color MediumBrown Green/brown (RHS 165A) Roots Very strong Medium strong

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct raspberry plant assubstantially herein shown and described.